By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Seven persons have been apprehended by police in Kwara State in connection with invasion of some banks in the Offa area of the state on Thursday evening.
The attack left some people dead including police officers in the ancient town. The operation lasted about an hour with the armed robbers carting away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Mr Lawan Ado, disclosed that seven suspects have been arrested.
According to him, the hoodlums abandoned some vehicles while escaping arrest and some of the abandoned vehicles have been recovered by his men.
“Seven suspects have been arrested so far. One suspect was arrested at Igosun, where the hoodlums abandoned seven vehicles and ran into the bush.
“The abandoned vehicles have been recovered and brought into the station and investigation is on,” he said.
The police chief also used the occasion to inform newsmen that 17 persons were killed during the attack, which has been described as bloody.
“Seventeen persons were killed comprising of nine policemen, eight civilians. Five banks were attacked during the operation,” Mr Ado said.
He revealed further that more police personnel have been deployed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, to aid the investigation and promised that all hands are on deck to ensure arrests of the suspects.
Adedapo Adesanya